A New Start
by xXCrossArrowXx
Summary: <html><head></head>Fred come to the Hamada household after a rough day at school, seeking comfort from Tadashi.</html>


Fred dragged himself up the street toward the Hamada household. The thought of getting there right now was the only thing keeping his mind off the many bruises and cuts covering his body. A strap on his backpack had been ripped so he carried it in his arms. How often he found himself coming to this house after incidents like this. He didn't have any other place better to go. No one else seemed to be trustable enough to him. He let out a sigh as he walked up the front door steps. He knocked on the door a bit and pulled his beanie down to try and cover up some of his face injuries. The door slowly opened, and he looked down at two tiny brown eyes starring up at him.

"Oh hey Fred." The boy said, opening the door a bit more.

"Hey Hiro." Fred said, greeting the young boy. He looked down a bit, hoping he wouldn't see any of the wounds on his face. "Is uh…Tadashi home?"

Hiro nodded, "Yeah, he's up in our room. You going to study with him?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's it…" He gave a nervous chuckle.

Hiro stuck his head back inside for a bit.

"Hey Tadashi! Fred is here!"

Fred could hear footsteps running down the stairs and he saw Tadashi appear behind Hiro.

"Thanks bro." Tadashi said, hugging Hiro from behind. When he got a good look at Fred though, his expression saddened a bit. Tadashi motioned for Fred to come in and turned back for the stairs. Fred stepped inside and ruffled Hiro's hair a bit before following Tadashi upstairs. Once they got up into their room, Fred watched Tadashi pull his first aid kit out from under the bed. Fred dropped his backpack and fell back into the computer chair. He winced at his bruises as they hit the chair. Tadashi walked over with the kit and kneeled next to Fred, removing a couple band aids from inside.

"What happened?" He asked, taking Fred's arm and rolling up the sleeve. He squinted at the cuts on it and began to cover them with the band aids. Fred watched him for a bit before thinking of something to say.

"Oh the guys were messing around again, it got a bit rough, but all is still good…"

Tadashi looked up at him with a frown.

"Got a little rough? Fred look at yourself. Friends don't beat each other up like this."

Tadashi said, standing up. He lifted Fred out of the chair and got him to turn around so he could lift up the back of his shirt.

"I know, but if they wanted to do real bad stuff I would look a lot worse than this."

He let out a small ''ow'' as Tadashi padded a large band aid against the cut on his back. That was the one that was hurting the most. Tadashi put everything back in the kit and set it up on the computer desk. Tadashi sat down on Hiro's bed and looked down in thought.

"Fred… this can't keep happening to you. Seeing you beat up like this all the time."

Fred leaned back in the chair, and looked away.

"Tadashi it's okay. My friends don't mean anything of it-"

"Fred they aren't your friends!"

Tadashi shouted, a stern look on his face. Fred was caught off guard, and flinched a bit at his raise in volume.

"Fred, all they do is bring you down…why do you stay around them?"

Fred sat up in the chair, and looked at his broken backpack, avoiding eye contact with Tadashi.

"They're some of the only people who let me stick around and they let me talk to them. Sure they tell me to shut up every now and then, and sometimes take my stuff and never give it back. But I got no one else to really hang out with…" He leaned his head against his hand and pulled back immediately at the pain. He saw Tadashi take notice of his actions.

"But all they do is hurt you when they're around."

Tadashi said, standing up from the bed and walking closer to Fred. Fred leaned away from Tadashi, pulling his beanie down some. Tadashi slowly reached a hand under the beanie and slowly pulled it off. His eyes widened at the large bruise covering the side of his head.

"Fred…" He said, reaching a hand out to gently touch it. Fred swatted his hand away and reached for his beanie.

"Stop! Ok, I'm fine. They all fade away with time." He said, getting up to try and take the beanie from Tadashi.

"But Fred, will this change with time? Them beating you up all the time, making you feel worthless? Is that what you want?"

Fred could feel tears welling up, and he grabbed Tadashi for the beanie.

"What does it matter? No one cares anyway. Now just give me my beanie, I want to go home!"

Tadashi held the beanie behind him, and Fred reached over his shoulder trying to get it.

"So you're just going to go on like this? Letting them take advantage of you, and not even trying?"

Tadashi asked. Fred could feel the mixture of shame and anger boiling inside, and he pushed against Tadashi. He slammed him against his bedroom wall and took the beanie from his grasp. Tadashi looked at him with sadness and disappointment.

"It's better than having nothing at all!"

He said, pulling the beanie over his head wound.

"Better than being alone all the time with no one to talk too. I had no real friends growing up, and they are the closest I could ever get to having that!"

Tadashi stood up straight, reaching a hand out for Fred.

"But what about me? Am I not a friend to you?"

Fred looked up at Tadashi, a couple tears had now dripped down his cheeks. He remembered when he had first met him. He was being beat up on Freshman year, when Junior Tadashi had come to his aid. He had taken him to his home and had gotten his aunt to help patch him up. Not much had changed after the first incident. Even a couple years later, coming to his house just for a quick talk was normal. He never did get to close to the guy, and mostly came over to either study or patch up what ever bruises or cuts he would get occasionally.

"I-I…I don't know. I feel like I would bring you down."

He said, rubbing his arm.

"You're so smart and talented, and I'm just a guy who fails all his classes and talks about kaiju all day. Do you really want me around? I feel like I would ruin how people view you…"

Tadashi placed a hand on Fred's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

"Fred, if loosing a couple of my 'smart' friends to be friends with you is the price, then I'd sure as hell do it. If people can't accept you for who you are, then why hang around them." Tadashi slowly took the beanie off again, and set it in Fred's hand. "You're a good guy just being yourself, and you deserve to be yourself without someone pushing you down for it."

Fred knew he could hold back it anymore. He pulled Tadashi close against him, crying into his chest. Tadashi hugged him back softy, resting his head against Fred's. Fred let everything out. All those emotions he'd kept hidden, all those feelings were now pouring out for this kind boy who called him a friend.

"Th-thanks dude…thank you s-so much…" He managed to get out, and sniffled. "I…I don't want to leave yet. I already feel like I'm home." He gripped Tadashi's shirt tight, never wanting to let go. Tadashi smiled and pulled back a bit.

"Then you don't have to."

He and Fred crawled into Tadashi's bed, and Fred cuddled up close against Tadashi. A few sobs still escaped him and the two lay there. Fred felt safe being so close to someone like this. Tadashi's arms around him made it seem as if nothing could get past them. Tadashi began to softly stroke Fred's hair Tadashi lifted his head up when he heard footsteps from the stairs. Hiro walked over to their bed slowly, looking at Fred with concern. Tadashi assumed he must of heard some of the yelling the two had been doing.

"Tadashi? Is Fred alright?"

Hiro asked, standing at the foot of the bed. Tadashi nodded and continued to stroke Fred's hair.

"He's had a rough day. But hey, Fred is going to be our new friend. We will treat him like out new brother. How's that sound?"

Hiro smiled and nodded his head.

"That sounds great!"

Tadashi looked down at Fred, pushing a few strands of hair out of his face.

"Hey man, want to stay over for the night? We can watch movies and play games. All sorts of stuff."

Fred looked up, his eyes wide with excitment and happiness.

"Yes! Yes that would be great." He said, cuddling Tadashi close. "But I think I'll rest a bit for now..."

Tadashi nodded and laid his haid back against the pillow. He noticed Hiro still watching the two of them.

"Um Tadashi...?" He quietly asked. Tadashi tilted his head at him

"Can I join too?" Hiro asked shyly.

Tadashi smiled and patted the space next to him. Hiro jumped eagerly into the bed and cuddled up closely next to Fred and Tadashi. Fred opened his eyes and saw Hiro now between them. He grinned and let out a content sigh. He guessed he had two new friends now. Two very kind friends who cared for people with a true passion. Tadashi and Fred both wrapped an arm around Hiro, and the three cuddled close together. Fred could stay like this with them forever. Tadashi leaned over and kissed Hiro on his forehead. He then leaned over and kissed Fred on his.

"Good night bros…" Tadashi said, letting out a sigh.

Fred slowly closed his eyes, feeling the other two's breathing slow for awhile until they both had fallen asleep. He hoped this would be the new start he had been wanting for so long now.


End file.
